Four key procedures to implement under Martyn’s Law
As we await the introduction of Martyn’s Law, we examine a key part of the Bill and what educational settings can do to comply.
Martyn’s Law is designed to improve safety
Martyn’s Law, also known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, aims to prepare premises in the UK for – and protect them from – terrorist attacks.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will enforce the regulations and financial penalties are proposed for contravention of the rules. The premises affected are split into two categories, or tiers:
- Standard duty premises, expected to host 200 – 799 people from time to time, such as educational settings or shops
- Enhanced duty premises, expected to host 800+ people from time to time, for example football stadia or hospitality venues
At the time of writing (February 2025) the Bill is under scrutiny by the House of Lords.
There are four procedures you must put in place
Martyn’s Law is a detailed document covering many areas and these procedures form only a small part of it. The Bill states that measures taken must be “appropriate and reasonably practicable”.
The four procedures cover:
- Lockdown: securing the premises against the danger
- Evacuation: getting people safely out of the venue
- Invacuation: bringing people into a safe location inside the venue
- Communication: alerting everyone on your premises to a dangerous situation
Let’s examine each procedure one by one
Lockdown
Your school or college must have a lockdown procedure which clearly sets out actions to follow. There are many factors to consider: how big is your school site? Do you have many pupils with special educational needs? Who is the responsible person under Martyn’s Law? When creating a lockdown procedure, we recommend these basic steps to start with:
- Providing clear instructions
- Training all staff and pupils
- Testing and communicating effectively
Martyn’s Law is designed to deal mainly with the threat of terrorist attacks. However, following its rules will also help you respond efficiently to other emergencies, for example a fire or gas leak nearby.
Evacuation
When someone triggers an alert, everyone must reach (and remain in) the safest place. This may be outside the building. Do you have safe evacuation routes? You may need several in case one is compromised.
Should an emergency arise, clear instructions are essential to avoid confusion and maximise safety. You must broadcast specific sounds or pre-recorded verbal messages to distinguish between evacuation and lockdown alerts. The government advises against the use of fire bells; emergency alerts must be distinct and unique.
Invacuation
There may be a threat or dangerous situation outside your building. In this case, it may be safer to bring or keep people indoors, initiating a lockdown. It’s vital to have a robust system that withstands all weather conditions and keeps working. It must be able to transmit sound equally well at both long and short distances.
Communication
Communication is an essential part of any emergency response plan. There are two aspects to consider.
Firstly, you must communicate your lockdown procedure to your team and train them to follow it. Team members would include teachers, the senior leadership group, receptionists, and anyone responsible for triggering alerts. There is no point in having an effective procedure if no-one knows what it is or what to do when it’s activated.
Secondly, it’s about communicating the alerts themselves during a live emergency. Everyone must know that there is a potentially dangerous situation, and how to react. This includes people with visual or hearing impairments, or anyone in a noisy environment.
There are many ways to communicate alerts, from live and recorded messages to customised alarms and silent, flashing lights. It’s important to combine these methods to their best effect.
For more on our solutions for education
Discover more about our class change, bell and PA systems here.
Contact us for a no-obligation demonstration
Our comprehensive lockdown alert system uses customised emergency messages broadcast through a range of wired or remote trigger methods. For the hard of hearing or loud areas, we also have visual alert indicators. We can tailor our flexible and cost-effective solutions to fit your needs and budget.
